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The QC, Vol. 89, No. 23 • April 10, 2003

2003_04_17_001

The Voice Of Whittier College Since 1914
April 17,2003
QUAKER CAMPUS
http://web.whittier.edu/qc
S^tSw^sJ1^ *' ~
• >»»*
MEGHAN GUARINO / QC NEWS EDITOR
Freshman Tonesha Webb participates in the Penn Society-sponsored volleyball game in the Lower Quad on Wednesday, April 16.
The event was a part of the week-long "Un-Greek Week" festivities
sponsored by the Inter Society Council in conjunction with Whittier's
nine societies. For full story, see Campus Life, page 9.
Professor alleges theft,
assault on campus
CRIME
by Patrick Holmes
QC Assistant News Editor
A suspect described as a 29-
year- old female was arrested
Monday after allegedly trying to
steal the wallet out of a professor's purse. The suspect was pretending to be a student of Whittier
College and may have used the
same cover to commit a possibly
related crime in the Shannon Center [see story, QC Issue 19, Volume
89].
The incident took place at
10:30 p.m. on Monday, April 10
in Deihl Hall. According to Assistant Chief of Campus Safety John
Lewis, "the purse was left unsecured and unattended while the
victim left the office briefly."
According to the report filed with
Campus Safety, when the professor returned she found the suspect
in her office.
The suspect told Campus Safety that she was given permission <
from the secretary to look for pa
per in the professor's office,
grabbed a piece of paper and left.
The professor then checked her
purse and found her wallet missing. The professor caught up to
the suspect, but the suspect denied
that she had the wallet. She was
then pulled into the secretary's
office, and Campus Safety was
called in to investigate.
The professor kept a firm grasp
of the suspect's jacket and they
left Deihl heading towards Campus Safety. When the two got outside, the suspect tried to pull away,
and when the professor held on to
the suspect's jacket, the suspect
allegedly punched the professor in
the face. The secretary had been
following the two and confirmed
the story.
The professor managed to
keep control of the suspect. On
the trip to Campus Safety, the suspect tried to give back the purse
saying she did not want to get in
trouble. Around this time Campus
Safety arrived, the Whittier Police Department was contacted,
and the suspect was taken into
custody for theft by the W.P.D.
The victim required no medical treatment and recovered all
stolen items. The professor and
secretary were not available for
comment. According to Lewis,
who questioned the suspect after
she was detained, the suspect
claims that she was given the wallet from a student at Whittier
named Kelly McGee. The suspect
also said she was on campus to
drop off some paperwork with the
Education Department. Campus
Safety followed up report, and
found that neither the suspect nor
the name Kelly McGee have any
association with Whittier College,
and the Education Department had
no records of paperwork being
dropped off.
The description of the suspect
matches that of a similar incident
that occurred in the Shannon Center, but no formal link has been
made. When Whittier Police De-
See CRIME, page 6
Writing program audit to bring improvements
■ PROGRAM REVIEW
by Christina Gutierrez
and Eric Dzinski
QCNews Editor and Opinions Editor
As part of a complete audit of
the College's writing program, various members of Whittier's writing community met in Johnson
House for an hour and a half on
Monday, April 14 to discuss the
writing program and what improvements need to be implemented to
give students the help that they
need.
Writing Center Director Associate Professor of English Language and Literature Susanne Weil
arranged for Doug Hesse, professor of English at Illinois State University, and Joan Mullin, professor
of English at Toledo State University, to conduct the review. Though
the College usually conducts these
audits itself, this year's budget allowed auditors from the National
Council of Writing Program Directors to perform interviews and
U.N.-Dead
No, not zombies.
Is the United Nations
finished or can it rise from
the grave?
Opinions, Page 2
analysis as part of the College's
self-review cycle.
"The point of this meeting was
to receive interceptive views from
outside experts," Weil explained.
Most students who attended the
meeting were writing center tutors, peer mentors and students who
had served as preceptors for introductory-level courses. One topic
brought up dealt with the admissions essay that students are required to write when applying to
Whittier. The concern of students
and faculty involved in the program is that this essay is not considered for students' placement in
either the Freshman Writing Seminar, INTD 100, or the remedial
writing class, INTD 90.
Located in the basement of
Hoover Hall, the Writing Center's
mission is to improve student writing through peer revision. As director of Whittier's Writing Program, Weil is responsible for hiring Writing Center tutors, as well
as coordinating peer mentors.
According to most of the writing center tutors, many students
who attend Whittier have never
been to the writing center for help
on a paper. "I never go to the writing center, unless I need to staple
my paper," first-year student Josh
Batts says, "I have confidence that
my writing is already where it needs
to be; why do I need someone to
"/ never go to the writing
center, unless I need to
staple my paper. I have
confidence that my
writing is already where it
needs to be; why do I
need someone to assure
me of that?"
Josh Batts
First-Year Student
assure me of that?"
Another concern of those involved in the program is that much
of the trouble with students' writing possibly occurs before college,
when students never fully learn
basic writing skills. A few of the
writing center tutors commented
on some of the papers that they look
over: "I think a lot of people aren't
even aware of where the writing
center is, much less what we have to
offer," said writing center tutor
sophomore Jessica Stowell.
Due to the wide range of disciplines studied at a liberal arts college, the tutors commented, there is
a multitude of writing styles that
students are exposed to, and they
may not receive instruction about
basic writing skills, even if they are
proficient in writing in their own
discipline, be it English or Biology.
Some of the writing center tutors also felt that more students
would stop by the writing center if
it were more accessible. "Maybe
the Center could be located in the
library, or another, more logical,
place" said senior Writing Center
tutor and preceptor, QC Copy Editor Natalie Kubasek.
Other concerns that students addressed were that skilled writers,
including those who work at the
Writing Center, are not being challenged by current standards. Other
tutors were concerned that the writing curriculum did not meet the
standards that other colleges set. "I
think Freshman Writing should be a
whole year, that would give the classes more time to bond with each other
and their professors," said junior
WritingCenter tutor VivianneBodey.
Because Weil wants the program
to change, she arranged for this audit
to assess student perceptions of the
program. "I want to see program improvements made," Weil explained,
'This is why I had so many people
from the writing center come to this
meeting. These kids have been
through it all and have many different
experiences and know how it is."
Additional reporting by Jon So-
lovy.
News You Can Use
Students considering a major
in Physical Education and Recreation are advised that the new name
of the department is Kinesiology
and Leisure Science. There are
also new core classes and areas of
emphasis within the major. Contact Department Secretary Darline
McCracken for more information.
ISSUE 23 • VOLUME 89
Iraq and Nutrition
What do the two have in common
you ask? Absolutely nothing,
except that nerve gas isn't good
for you. More on nutrition inside!
Campus Life, Page 8
A Feeble attempt
This issue ended up sucking
pretty bad...psych! We review
Australia's most disturbing
film, Meet the Feebles.
A&E, Page 10
Wrap-ups galore
We're not wrapping up presents—we're wrapping up seasons.
We also cover the continuing suc-
esses of Men's Lacrosse.
Sports, Page 14

The Voice Of Whittier College Since 1914
April 17,2003
QUAKER CAMPUS
http://web.whittier.edu/qc
S^tSw^sJ1^ *' ~
• >»»*
MEGHAN GUARINO / QC NEWS EDITOR
Freshman Tonesha Webb participates in the Penn Society-sponsored volleyball game in the Lower Quad on Wednesday, April 16.
The event was a part of the week-long "Un-Greek Week" festivities
sponsored by the Inter Society Council in conjunction with Whittier's
nine societies. For full story, see Campus Life, page 9.
Professor alleges theft,
assault on campus
CRIME
by Patrick Holmes
QC Assistant News Editor
A suspect described as a 29-
year- old female was arrested
Monday after allegedly trying to
steal the wallet out of a professor's purse. The suspect was pretending to be a student of Whittier
College and may have used the
same cover to commit a possibly
related crime in the Shannon Center [see story, QC Issue 19, Volume
89].
The incident took place at
10:30 p.m. on Monday, April 10
in Deihl Hall. According to Assistant Chief of Campus Safety John
Lewis, "the purse was left unsecured and unattended while the
victim left the office briefly."
According to the report filed with
Campus Safety, when the professor returned she found the suspect
in her office.
The suspect told Campus Safety that she was given permission <
from the secretary to look for pa
per in the professor's office,
grabbed a piece of paper and left.
The professor then checked her
purse and found her wallet missing. The professor caught up to
the suspect, but the suspect denied
that she had the wallet. She was
then pulled into the secretary's
office, and Campus Safety was
called in to investigate.
The professor kept a firm grasp
of the suspect's jacket and they
left Deihl heading towards Campus Safety. When the two got outside, the suspect tried to pull away,
and when the professor held on to
the suspect's jacket, the suspect
allegedly punched the professor in
the face. The secretary had been
following the two and confirmed
the story.
The professor managed to
keep control of the suspect. On
the trip to Campus Safety, the suspect tried to give back the purse
saying she did not want to get in
trouble. Around this time Campus
Safety arrived, the Whittier Police Department was contacted,
and the suspect was taken into
custody for theft by the W.P.D.
The victim required no medical treatment and recovered all
stolen items. The professor and
secretary were not available for
comment. According to Lewis,
who questioned the suspect after
she was detained, the suspect
claims that she was given the wallet from a student at Whittier
named Kelly McGee. The suspect
also said she was on campus to
drop off some paperwork with the
Education Department. Campus
Safety followed up report, and
found that neither the suspect nor
the name Kelly McGee have any
association with Whittier College,
and the Education Department had
no records of paperwork being
dropped off.
The description of the suspect
matches that of a similar incident
that occurred in the Shannon Center, but no formal link has been
made. When Whittier Police De-
See CRIME, page 6
Writing program audit to bring improvements
■ PROGRAM REVIEW
by Christina Gutierrez
and Eric Dzinski
QCNews Editor and Opinions Editor
As part of a complete audit of
the College's writing program, various members of Whittier's writing community met in Johnson
House for an hour and a half on
Monday, April 14 to discuss the
writing program and what improvements need to be implemented to
give students the help that they
need.
Writing Center Director Associate Professor of English Language and Literature Susanne Weil
arranged for Doug Hesse, professor of English at Illinois State University, and Joan Mullin, professor
of English at Toledo State University, to conduct the review. Though
the College usually conducts these
audits itself, this year's budget allowed auditors from the National
Council of Writing Program Directors to perform interviews and
U.N.-Dead
No, not zombies.
Is the United Nations
finished or can it rise from
the grave?
Opinions, Page 2
analysis as part of the College's
self-review cycle.
"The point of this meeting was
to receive interceptive views from
outside experts," Weil explained.
Most students who attended the
meeting were writing center tutors, peer mentors and students who
had served as preceptors for introductory-level courses. One topic
brought up dealt with the admissions essay that students are required to write when applying to
Whittier. The concern of students
and faculty involved in the program is that this essay is not considered for students' placement in
either the Freshman Writing Seminar, INTD 100, or the remedial
writing class, INTD 90.
Located in the basement of
Hoover Hall, the Writing Center's
mission is to improve student writing through peer revision. As director of Whittier's Writing Program, Weil is responsible for hiring Writing Center tutors, as well
as coordinating peer mentors.
According to most of the writing center tutors, many students
who attend Whittier have never
been to the writing center for help
on a paper. "I never go to the writing center, unless I need to staple
my paper," first-year student Josh
Batts says, "I have confidence that
my writing is already where it needs
to be; why do I need someone to
"/ never go to the writing
center, unless I need to
staple my paper. I have
confidence that my
writing is already where it
needs to be; why do I
need someone to assure
me of that?"
Josh Batts
First-Year Student
assure me of that?"
Another concern of those involved in the program is that much
of the trouble with students' writing possibly occurs before college,
when students never fully learn
basic writing skills. A few of the
writing center tutors commented
on some of the papers that they look
over: "I think a lot of people aren't
even aware of where the writing
center is, much less what we have to
offer," said writing center tutor
sophomore Jessica Stowell.
Due to the wide range of disciplines studied at a liberal arts college, the tutors commented, there is
a multitude of writing styles that
students are exposed to, and they
may not receive instruction about
basic writing skills, even if they are
proficient in writing in their own
discipline, be it English or Biology.
Some of the writing center tutors also felt that more students
would stop by the writing center if
it were more accessible. "Maybe
the Center could be located in the
library, or another, more logical,
place" said senior Writing Center
tutor and preceptor, QC Copy Editor Natalie Kubasek.
Other concerns that students addressed were that skilled writers,
including those who work at the
Writing Center, are not being challenged by current standards. Other
tutors were concerned that the writing curriculum did not meet the
standards that other colleges set. "I
think Freshman Writing should be a
whole year, that would give the classes more time to bond with each other
and their professors," said junior
WritingCenter tutor VivianneBodey.
Because Weil wants the program
to change, she arranged for this audit
to assess student perceptions of the
program. "I want to see program improvements made," Weil explained,
'This is why I had so many people
from the writing center come to this
meeting. These kids have been
through it all and have many different
experiences and know how it is."
Additional reporting by Jon So-
lovy.
News You Can Use
Students considering a major
in Physical Education and Recreation are advised that the new name
of the department is Kinesiology
and Leisure Science. There are
also new core classes and areas of
emphasis within the major. Contact Department Secretary Darline
McCracken for more information.
ISSUE 23 • VOLUME 89
Iraq and Nutrition
What do the two have in common
you ask? Absolutely nothing,
except that nerve gas isn't good
for you. More on nutrition inside!
Campus Life, Page 8
A Feeble attempt
This issue ended up sucking
pretty bad...psych! We review
Australia's most disturbing
film, Meet the Feebles.
A&E, Page 10
Wrap-ups galore
We're not wrapping up presents—we're wrapping up seasons.
We also cover the continuing suc-
esses of Men's Lacrosse.
Sports, Page 14